


》REVERSE《

by purpleturtleneck



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, F/F, M/M, Role Reversal, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-11 01:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20537882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purpleturtleneck/pseuds/purpleturtleneck
Summary: Officer Waverly × Waitress NicoleA WayHaught fanfiction story where things are reversed.





	1. S T A R T

**Waverly** moves out of Purgatory and into Redemption, a big city, to work as a police officer in one of its many stations, and to pursue her dream of being a hero who brings justice and peace.

**Nicole** is a waitress at one of the city's most popular bars and is dissatisfied with her simple life, yearning for something more, something greater.

A weird story, with a bit of comedy.


	2. BRAVE NEW OFFICER

Finally, the years of online courses and training with Sheriff Nedley had payed off. Waverly Earp had already packed her things and was standing outside Shorty's, waiting for her friends to celebrate. She had scored a position as a police officer in Redemption, a city far away from Purgatory. To say she was nervous was an understatement. This would be the first time she'll be so far away for home.

Shorty, seeing her like that, gave her and her friends free drinks and naturally Champ, her boyfriend, got so drunk he couldn't stand.

"Will...will you call me every day?!", he asked Waverly while slumped over the counter.

"Of course, silly!", she answered and kissed the top of his head.

"Ahem." Nedley interrupted their moment. "Waverly, it's time. I am to drive you to the bus stop, remember?". He was talking about the only bus stop in Purgatory with a bus that took you outside the little town.

  
"Your father would be so proud of you." were his last words to her before hugging her tightly and driving off. She kept thinking about this during her lonely bus ride. After changing a few buses and riding the train to Redemption, she collapsed on the bed of her tiny new apartment in the city and fell asleep thinking about her life decisions.

**》《**

For Nicole Haught, on the other hand, her day has just started...or her work shift to be exact; a night shift since she worked as a waitress at a bar. Every day it was the same routine. Wake up only to feed her cat, Calamity Jane, sleep till late noon, go grocery shopping and return home to get ready for her job. In between these things, she had a fair amount of free time and a few friends around the city to spend it with. Her mediocre life was comfortable yet somehow felt wrong.

The next night, though, something interesting happened.

After finishing her usual cleaning duties, she went to stand behind the bar counter, since it was her turn, and that's when a group of police officers, still in their work clothes, walked in, obviously to have some drinks and not arrest someone since they were laughing and joking around among each other. Some of them seemed already drunk. Among all these male officers was a petite female one that looked quite out of place.

"HEY, lady, are you done staring?! Serve us already!", they said to Nicole as they sat down. She had been caught eyeing the group apprehensively. She tried to stay professional and immediately turned on the 'customer service voice', as her boss liked to call it.

"What would you like to order?", she asked. That's when an officer noticed her name tag.

"Nicole...Haught, huh? Well, d@mn right you are, or else we wouldn't be here tolerating your sloppy service.", he chuckled.

_Oh no he did not_, thought Nicole. She had been hearing jokes about her name her whole life so she was sick and tired of it at this point.

"Cut her some slack, dude.The pretty ones are always dumb.", added one of his friends and that's when their whole group erupted into noisy laughter. Well, all except the tiny female officer and the male officer sitting next to her.

"They're not mutually exclusive.", said the female one loud enough for all to hear. It was the first words she's spoken the whole night and Nicole found her voice surprisingly lovely and comforting.

"Wait, what?", said the confused police officers.

"Being pretty and being smart.", she explained. "Someone can be both, neither, one or the other."

One of the officers replied "Well, Waverly, you're too smart if you ask me. At least, you're pretty as well!"

"That proves her point then!", said the small male officer sitting next to Waverly, and he slung an arm over her shoulders as a sign of support. The rest just mumbled to themselves and turned to their drinks. Nicole turned around to the bar's liquor cabinet to make more drinks, but also to laugh quietly. If you asked Nicole, officer Waverly was indeed smart, and funny...and of course really, really pretty.

...what.

She mentally scolded herself and turned around again to serve the new drinks. She saw the small male officer's arm still on Waverly's shoulders and she naturally gave the woman a look of concern, as if asking 'Do you want me to step in and help?' Waverly saw it and smiled. "Jeremy's cool.", she said.  
Nicole smiled back, feeling awkward.

"Free drinks for the two of you.", she simply said. "Thanks for shutting them up." She nodded towards the bunch of officers quietly drinking.

"Hey, sorry about that. They can be a pain in the neck when they're drunk but they're actually nice coworkers back at the station.", explained Waverly.

"You're the one who's nice, not them.", said Jeremy, and they all laughed together after that.

Before leaving, Waverly turned to Nicole and asked "Can I pay for my drink?"  
"But I told you, it's on me."  
"Exactly. We're taking from your paycheck. It's not right."

Jeremy's gaydar told him to leave the two alone so he mumbled something about waiting outside and left.

"You can make it up to me by taking me out for a drink.", said Nicole slowly and activated the 'seduction eyes' for maximum efficiency. They stared at each other intensely-- the dispute about who was to pay that drink long forgotten-- until...

"I have a boyfriend.", said Waverly, trying to sound confident, but she was red in the face.

Nicole was attracted to her, it was true, but she wasn't a jerk. She took out the pen from her pocket and found a crumpled receipt paper. On the back of it, she wrote her number and name, and gave it to a confused Waverly.

"If you need anything, please call." said Nicole kindly, and that was an offer Waverly couldn't refuse. She took the receipt, mumbled a 'thank you', turned around and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
Cute WayHaught moments, officer Waverly in action and...trouble in Purgatory?!


	3. 1 tiny heart <3

For Waverly, the next few days passed in the blink of an eye. Work had been hell, so she didn't have time to think about her encounter with the pretty waitress.

Apparently, a weirdo had been stealing car parts all around the city and the station was all day full of people waiting to report theft incidents. Waverly was the only one who could handle that much paperwork so most responsibilities have been dumped on her, 'the newbie', and Jeremy who was kind enough to help. The rest of the officers were always either 'busy' or out on 'patrol', which was probably code for mid-day drinking since they always reeked of alcohol when they returned.

On top of that, she had Jeremy constantly teasing her about her more-than-friendly exchange with Nicole, the waitress and urging her to call her.

"No, Jeremy! For the last time: I. Have. A. Boyfriend.", she snapped. "Didn't you hear me say it to her?!"  
"Well..."  
"Oh, don't pretend you weren't listening."  
Jeremy sighed and said "Waverly, you deserve so much better than that douchebag you're dating."

Before she could answer, her phone started ringing and it was...Champ.  
"Speak of the devil.", said Jeremy with sass, and walked away.

Waverly answered the phone with an irritated voice.  
"Champ, you know I'm working right now. What is it? I've got so much paperwo--"  
"Your sister's back."  
"What."  
"Wynonna appeared last night, with a big-ass gun, saying that she has to hunt down some ghost dudes. Also Shorty and your uncle are dead. The police station has been taken over by some shady guys in suits. Oh, and the bar is run now by a guy with a creepy moustache and a cowboy hat."

  
Champ waited for a reply but there was silence on the other end.  
"Sooo...Hey, did you get my d!ck pic?"  
"Champ, are you serious right now?"  
"Well, I sent it yesterday and you didn't reply."  
"Stop it! It doesn't matter right now! I've been away for only a few weeks! How did all this happen?! I need to come to Purgatory..."  
"That's great, babe! I'll be able to see you again!"

  
"No you won't."

  
"What?"  
"I'm breaking up with you."  
"Babe, wait--"  
"We're done, Champ.", she said and stopped the call.

She breathed a heavy sigh and let her head fall lifelessly on her desk, full of papers.  
_I MUST go to Purgatory. Now._, she thought. _I need a car..._

"Excuse me! Is anybody here?...I need to report a theft incident!"  
Waverly groaned and went to the service counter.

"Oh, long time no see.", said a familiar voice. When the tired officer looked up, she saw...  
"Nicole?"  
"Yep. You got my name right. Can you help me? Someone stole all four of my car's tires.", she explained. "I don't know why. I've already replaced them, but I wanted to report it because it's a weird theft."  
"Yeah...we've been getting a lot of those lately...", said Waverly, still in a daze. "...Hey, Nicole?"  
"Yes?"  
"Can I ask you a favor?"

Nicole smiled mysteriously and said "Well, of course. Because then you'll owe me twice, and you'll have to take me out for a drink!" She was obviously very amused by the situation. "A friendly date. As friends.", she added seeing how Waverly did not respond.

"Honestly...right now, it's an emergency! I don't care about dates, I just need a car to go to Purgatory as soon as I can!", said Waverly. "Please!"

Nicole became immediately very concerned. "Okay.", she said softly. "I'll take you there. Don't worry."  
"Great! Thank you!...Now where's your car? You drove here, right?", said Waverly. She jumped over the counter and dragged Nicole outside, with a firm grip on her hand.

"Now? We're going now?", said Nicole. "D@mn, you're strong."  
Waverly let go of her hand. She was still holding it, even though they had crossed the parking lot and were now in front of Nicole's car.

"Didn't you hear the ASAP part of the deal?", asked Waverly awkwardly. Nicole nodded and held the car door open for her.  
"Well, then, what are you waiting for? Jump in!"

She gave a smile so reassuring and bright that it would be engraved into Waverly's memory forever.

** <3 **

The journey ahead of them was going to be long and tiring, so both of them had plenty of time to think. They sat in silence, Nicole at the wheel and Waverly sitting next to her, looking out of the window and fidgeting nervously.

The news she'd gotten from Champ had shaken her to her core. It was as if she left, and suddenly everything changed. And everyone. Her older sister, missing for years, was back. Deep down she was afraid to confront her, afraid nothing will be the same, afraid all her good memories of her hometown will fade away one by one.

Nicole, who was glancing at Waverly every now and then, noticed her nervousness and reached out to hold her trembling hand in hers. A rather bold move.

Nevertheless, Waverly allowed it, mostly because she needed comfort at that difficult moment in her life, and she didn't have anyone else to turn to. She felt like this was a turning point for her.

"It's going to be okay.", said Nicole reassuringly, as if she could read her mind. Waverly wondered for the first time why this stranger was helping her so much. Why she had decided to help her without hesitation. Why she was holding her hand and making her feel so warm inside.

_This goody-two-shoes attitude and selflessness...she can't be feigning them just to convince me to sleep with her, right?_, she thought. Nicole had expressed her attraction towards Waverly since the moment they met, yet she didn't seem like the type of person who would play with another's heart.

Waverly turned to look at her and while studying her face, she saw a look of determination in her eyes as she drove silently, with a firm grip on the wheel. Nicole was determined to help her. A hero with a golden heart. Unfortunately, for Waverly, that kind of person was exactly her type. She sighed.

Nicole, on the other hand, was starting to question the logic behind her heroic stunt. They had no food and no water in the car. It was getting dark. Her arms were stiff from driving for two hours straight. Yet this woman she barely knew had convinced her to drive her to her hometown in the middle of nowhere, and now it was too late to change her mind. She didn't really think this through, did she?

"Hey, Waverly."  
"Yeah?"  
"I know you're in a hurry but...can we stop at the rest area ahead of us for a bit?"  
"Do we have to?", asked Waverly, noticing the lights and the illuminated signs of the rest area nearby.

"Yeah...I need to use the restroom."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
WayHaught ship finally sailing, bad@ss action scene...and cheeseburgers.


	4. PICKLES + PUNCHES

Only when they walked into the rest area did Waverly realise how tired she was. Her stomach growled the moment they smelled food. Nicole noticed.

"Haha, so does that mean we can sit and eat?"  
"Yes please.", said Waverly. "I'll go order."  
"Okay, I'll wait over there." Nicole pointed to one of the tables.

Waverly came back to find Nicole still at the table, guarding it like a dog, even though the rest area was mostly empty at this hour of the night.  
"Didn't you want to go to the restroom?"  
"There's people watching us.", whispered Nicole.  
"Huh?"  
"A few tables away. Don't look. They wear suits and look really shady. A few hours ago, I spotted a black van behind us, far in the distance, but I didn't want to alarm you. It kept following us so I knew we had to stop at the next rest area, where there would be people watching. We would be safer."  
"How did I miss all that? I'm supposed to be the cop here..."  
"Yeah, about that, you need to change into civilian clothes. We're getting too much attention."  
"But I didn't bring any with me."  
"I have some in my car!", said Nicole and she darted out of the restaurant area without further explanation.

When she came back, Waverly asked "Why do you have spare clothes in your car?"  
"I go mountain climbing often, so I always have spare clothes, and climbing gear, and spare tires--Well, I used those today..."  
"Wow."  
"Now go change!"

Waverly stood in front of the restroom's mirror and looked at the oversized clothes she was wearing. She had rolled up the pants so they wouldn't be dragged on the floor when she walked, but couldn't do anything about the hoodie. She tucked it in the waistband of her pants and sighed. How did she not notice the size difference between her and Nicole?  
Nicole.  
She was out there all alone putting on a brave face, just so Waverly wouldn't be afraid...even though she works for the police! Waverly chuckled to herself and returned to their table.

"Oh, hey, you haven't eaten yet?"  
"I was waiting for you."  
"Oh, that's...so sweet of you. Wow. Um. Do you like pickles? The burger has pickles, I forgot to ask what you like." Waverly tried to brush off the awkwardness. Her ears were red. She had a crush on a woman she barely knew and she had figured it out at a rest station's bathroom.  
Great.  
"Yeah, I...love pickles. Love' em.", lied Nicole who also had a crush on Waverly and didn't want to disappoint her.

They were both clueless as to what to do about their crushes so they just sat in silence and ate their burgers.

When they got up to leave, they saw the men in suits had disappeared, but when they got into the car, they saw a black van blocking the parking space's exit. There was not a soul to be found in the parking lot.  
"Sh!t. Waverly, stay in the car. I'll go back to the rest area to call for help.", said Nicole and she jumped out.  
"NO! Nicole! Wai--"

Nicole got punched in the face by one of the men in suits and fell on the ground, with blood spilling from her mouth.

Two more men got out of the van, and so did Waverly, who kicked the first man in the throat so hard that he gagged and fell to his side, clutching his neck. Waverly kicked him again in the stomach, earning an "Ooh. Damn." from Nicole, whose bloody face did not seem to faze her. She got up and said "I'll take the left one, you take the right, okay?"  
"Sounds good to me." Waverly took out a taser and lunged at the guy on the right.

Nicole was so shocked she barely missed the left guy's punch. She stumbled back and groaned as the guy threw another punch that landed on her ribs. She feigned a punch to the head and when the man blocked it, she kicked him hard in the balls. Needless to say, the man fell down, screaming in pain.

Nicole turned her back to him and looked for Waverly. Her concern for her was unnecessary since she was a cop, after all, and had already tased the right guy senseless. When Waverly saw Nicole, she yelled...  
"Nicole! Watch out!"

The latter heard a click and saw a gun being pointed to her head. She didn't dare to move. She was barely able to breathe.The man she had kicked in the groin pressed the gun on her temple and wrapped her in a tight headlock with his other hand.

"Drop the taser if you want your friend to live."  
Waverly immediately dropped it and kicked it away.

"What do you want from us?"

The man in the suit put the gun in his pocket and let go of Nicole. He whipped out a badge and said:  
"Black Badge Division. We're a top-secret agency tasked with investigating the paranormal forces in Purgatory. You're Waverly Earp, right? I was informed by my superiors that you're a crucial link to the alleged 'Earp curse' and subsequently to the revenant sightings that have been reported all over Purgatory these last few weeks."

"...what the hell is happening?", asked Nicole, sounding completely overwhelmed.

"My men and I were tasked with tracking you down and bringing you back to Purgatory to interrogate, but when we finally found your location in Redemption and came to the police station to ask you to come with us, we saw you leaving the city in an unidentified car and thought you were trying to escape us.", he explained.

That's when the man that had been tased groaned and tried to get up.  
"...I was just trying to do my job...", he cried.

The other guy that had been kicked in the throat joined him and said in a hoarse voice "...We're just goons working for the BBD bosses...We don't get payed enough for this sh!t..."

"Agents, watch your language!", said their leader. "It's true, in the grand scheme of things, we're just goons in the corporate ladder, but...the mission was a success! There have obviously been a few complications and a misunderstanding between--"

"You call that misunderstanding?! He punched me in the face!", yelled Nicole, pointing at the agent who got the throat kick.  
"I panicked, OKAY?!", he replied.  
"Oh, I'll show you panic!", said Waverly and reached for her taser.  
"Don't be so cruel to him! He has social anxiety!", said the tased agent in defense of his colleague.  
"What does that have to do with anything?!", said Waverly.

"Miss Earp! I think it's time you join us on our journey to Purgatory, since we obviously have the same destination.", said their leader who was trying to restore order. " You're friend can go back to Redemption. Her job is done. You're in good hands now."

Waverly felt her heart missing a beat when she turned to Nicole, and found her looking like a wounded puppy. She had dried blood on her chin and a sad look in her eyes.  
"Nicole is the one who drove me here and ensured my safety. She is coming with us, otherwise I won't be coming at all."

"Fine by me. Please get in the van. My agents will return your car back to the city, if you allow it.", said their leader. "We've already tracked down your addresses."

"And what is your name?", asked Waverly, still pissed because of the needless violence.

"Agent Dolls. Deputy Marshal Xavier Dolls.", he replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
Road trips, awkward flirting and... ghosts of the past (both literal and metaphorical).


	5. GHOST MEN

After being convinced that Dolls and his agents were not there to hurt them, the two women sat comfortably in the van and accepted the first-aid and the blankets with gratitude.

Waverly passed the ice pack she was holding to Nicole, whose cheek and jaw were a bit bruised. The latter immediately held it against her face and let out a sigh of relief when the cold dulled her pain a bit.

"Nicole, wait a minute."

Waverly reached out and cupped Nicole's other cheek with one of her hands. She brushed her bottom lip with her thumb as she said "You got a cut there. Is that why you bled so much?"

"Oof, well, that's a relief. I thought I'd lost a tooth and my mouth was bleeding.", said Nicole and laughed. "I would look ridiculous with a big gap in my mouth."  
"Nah, I think you'd look cute.", said Waverly and laughed as well.  
Nicole raised an eyebrow as if to say that she did not believe her.  
"Cute? What are you, the tooth fairy? You seem almost disappointed I didn't lose all my teeth from that punch!"  
Waverly gave her a playful slap on the shoulder and laughed a little louder.

  
Dolls, who was trying to concentrate on driving, shifted his weight uncomfortably in his seat. He felt like the third wheel inside his own car --even though the van had only one wheel and he was the one using it to drive-- so, naturally he was relieved when they both fell asleep and the flirting and heart-eyes finally stopped.

He was hoping that the rest of the journey to Purgatory was going to be uneventful. He had been driving in peaceful silence for about an hour, so he was starting to be more optimistic about it.

He was wrong.

**》《**

Waverly sat up drowsily and rubbed her eyes. Nicole was still sleeping next to her. A sharp turn on the road made her head slump and fall on Waverly's shoulder. The latter stiffened, but didn't dare to move her. Another sharp turn took her by surprise and when she looked outside her window, she saw the road had changed.The land was flat and desolate wherever she looked and the road had become a wide straight line filled with sand and rocks. She almost couldn't differentiate it from the rest of the landscape.

"Sorry about that.", said Dolls. "I was trying to avoid the rocks. We just entered the Ghost River Triangle.", he added, as if Waverly didn't know that already.  
Home.  
That's where she's going.  
But was it? Two people that she loved were gone and one had returned, bringing the haunted past of the Earps with her. Waverly had researched so much about her ancestry. In the end, she decided it was best to leave the past behind and start a new life in Redemption.

  
But now she was going back. She couldn't leave her sister, even though Wynonna had done that to her, essentially, by shooting their father and moving from juvie to juvie, from foster home to foster home, and from country to country...until Waverly feared that she was never going to see her again.  
She cried quietly for a bit. No one could see her. Nicole was asleep and Dolls was focused on the dangerous road ahead of them.

Dolls suddenly pressed the brakes and the van halted abruptly, hurling its passengers to the front.

"Why did we stop?", said Nicole who had gotten a rough awakening.  
"Stay in the vehicle!", said Dolls sternly and jumped out of the van.  
"What's happening?", asked Waverly.

"Look. There are spikes on the road." Nicole pointed to he ground in front of the van. Through the windshield, they saw Dolls kneeling next to what seemed like very large metal nails, placed to point upwards, and looking at them with his face full of concern.

That's when a bullet passed through the van's open back window and barely grazed Waverly's cheek.  
"Nicole, fall down!", she screamed and pushed her to the bottom of the van, laying her body on top of hers to protect her.  
A few seconds later, a rain of bullets followed and all of them bounced off and stuck inside the walls of the bulletproof van.  
Then, there was silence.  
"Waverly, Agent Dolls was outside." whispered Nicole.  
"I know. But we can't get up yet.", replied Waverly and wrapped her arms around Nicole a bit tighter because she knew that whatever the outcome, she had to live with that choice.  
Then she realized that her entire body was completely pressed on top of Nicole's and she felt flustered and somehow light-headed.

A loud voice snapped her out of it.

"Boss, I think they're all dead."  
"Well, the Earp girl better be alive, or else I'll personally make sure you get sent back to hell!"

Revenants.  
Waverly was hearing real life revenants speaking. She had read so much about them yet she was still unable to process what was happening. Then she remembered Champ's words. The ghost men. Of course it was revenants. It all made sense now. Wynonna carried Peacemaker, as the gun's rightful owner.  
The hunt had started.  
And, of course, the revenants wanted to kill all Earps, before they were killed by them. But, then...why did they want Waverly alive?

The van's back door was violently opened by a huge man in a fur coat, with glowing red eyes.

"Little Waverly...it _IS_ you!", he chuckled. "And you're alive after all! Don't you remember your old pal Bobo?" His words sounded more menacing than reassuring. Waverly knew that name, but she couldn't remember how.  
Bobo.  
...Then through her childhood memories, emerged the figure of her imaginary friend, Bobo, during her lonely years in Purgatory after her father's death.

_Looks like he wasn't so imaginary after all_, she thought.

Before she could react, the revenant grabbed her by her hoodie and threw her out of the van with superhuman speed and strength. He did the same to Nicole, who fought back with weak punches and kicks, and then turned to the both of them and said "Let me introduce myself again properly. I am Bobo Del Rey...and this is my land!".

He then turned to his group of revenant followers. "We have suffered by many generations of Earps! This time it'll be different! This time the Ghost River Triangle is ours...and we will obliterate everyone that dares to threaten us in our land!"  
The revenants cheered loudly after that.  
"Waverly Earp! You come with us! The rest...kill them."

  
Waverly screamed when she saw the revenant mob grabbing Nicole and Dolls --who was alive, with only a gun wound in his leg-- roughly and pushing them around violently while cheering.

  
A gunshot in the air made them all fall silent.  
"Listen to me!", ordered Bobo, with a gun in his hand. "No one must learn about this! We got the upper hand here! The element of surprise! Wynonna Earp will never see it coming: she'll be forced to give up Peacemaker, in exchange for this little Earp brat!", he said and pointed to Waverly.  
She looked at three revenants and said "You, you...and you, come with me! We're taking the Earp to Purgatory!"  
He laughed maniacally and turned to Nicole and Dolls. "As for the rest of you, take these two to the desert...and make sure no one finds the bodies."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
WynHaught, guns and action, and of course...even more revenants!


	6. HOTSHOT

The revenants were leading Nicole and Dolls deeper into the desert. Or at least, that was what he assumed because they had covered their heads with bags and tied their hands. The thick fabric of the bag, combined with the desert heat, made breathing hard and when he occasionally stumbled and tripped over a rock, he could feel a revenant pushing him angrily on the back with a gun.

He was trying to walk as slowly as he could, in hopes of a rescue from BBD. They were probably being guided towards a cliff or a crag, since Bobo Del Rey had told his minions to 'get rid of the bodies'. While trying to think of an escape plan, he heard a groan from a revenant and he stumbled on the one in front of him. They all seemed to have stopped walking and he could hear the sound of wrestling next to him.

"Crazy b!tch! She put the rope around his neck!"  
"Ugh--she's trying to choke me!!"  
"F*ck, what do we do now?! Do we just kill them on the spot?"

When he heard that, Dolls' survival instincts kicked in and he gave the revenant next to him a hard jab on the ribs with his elbow. He heard the clutter of a gun on the ground.

_This is my chance!_, he thought.  
He leaped and fell where he had heard the sound and soon felt a gun in his hands.  
"Ha! What are you gonna do with that? You can't see--"  
Without hesitation, Dolls shot in the direction where the voice was coming from and heard the heavy sound of a body hitting the ground. The remaining revenant tackled him to the ground and pushed his gun on his head.  
"You think you're tough sh!t, huh? Well, think agai--"  
Dolls heard the sound of bone cracking and no longer felt the revenant's weight on him. Silence ensued.

  
"Haught? You good?", he asked.  
"Yeah, I kicked the guy in the head. I think I broke it somewhere. He isn't moving..."  
"The other two?"  
"Well, I can't see but I heard you shoot one of them...and I strangled the other...Oh no. What have I done..."  
It seemed like Nicole's survival instincts have kicked in as well and now she was finally starting to realise her actions.

  
"You didn't kill them. Now!...how do we untie ourselves before they resurrect?"  
"R-resurrect?  
"Yes. They are are revenants, a.k.a. dead people who have been resurrected as demons."  
"But...we killed them just now, didn't we?!"  
"No! That's what I'm trying to say! We're still in danger! They could get back up any minute now! They can only be killed by--"

"This baby!", said a cocky female voice and three gunshots were heard, along with the sounds of a fire burning and the agonizing screams of the revenants.

"Took you long enough.", said Dolls.  
"Usually people say thank you when I save their @ss.", said the woman and proceeded to untie both Dolls and Nicole.  
When she got the bag out of her head, Nicole came face to face with a smug looking woman who faintly resembled Waverly.

"I see you just got a warm welcome from Purgatory's finest attraction! How did you find our revenants? Like them already?", said the woman.  
Nicole, after a life-or-death situation, was completely energy-drained and just stood there, at a loss for words.  
"Not much of a talker?"  
"Earp, leave Haught alone. She's been through enough for today."  
When Wynonna heard Nicole's name she burst out laughing. Right when the latter was about to punch this woman , Dolls said to her "Bobo Del Rey has your sister." and her laugh was cut short.

  
"You had one job! One!", she yelled at him, after grabbing him by his shirt's collar. "Why does Bobo have my sister?!"  
"Wait...Waverly's your sister?", said Nicole.  
"You catch on fast! Now explain to me, Haught-shot, who the h3ll are you? What are you doing here? And what do you have to do with my sister?!"  
"Whoa, Wynonna! Calm down!", yelled Dolls.  
All three stood in silence, breathing heavily and glaring angrily at each other.

  
**》《**

After exchanging information, ending their dispute and boarding Wynonna's blue pickup truck, our three heroes started the pursuit of Bobo Del Rey. To find some sort of clue for where he went, they returned to the spot of the revenants' attack and found, to their dismay, that the BBD van was gone.

"They took my van?!", said Dolls, who was furious.  
"Chill out. They left a trail.", said Wynonna.  
"Yeah, but isn't that way too obvious? It might be a trap."  
"Haughtie's right.", said Wynnona. "It might be a trap, but it's also the only clue we've got. So here's the plan. We follow the trail. We beat up the bad guys. They tell us where my sister is. Sounds good?"  
"Earp, that's a terrible plan.", said Dolls.  
"Do you have any other ideas? Anyone?...No? Okay." She took a small BBD handgun from the backseat, tossed it to Nicole and said "You'll probably need it."  
"WHOA wait a minute!", said Dolls. "You're giving a gun to a civilian?! She's not trained! She could get us all killed! She could get herself killed with that thing!"  
"So, do we just leave her unarmed? Relax, Dolls. We'll beat up the revenants when we see them, she'll stay in the truck to guard it, and shoot only if they get close to her. That way, she won't miss."

  
Nicole nodded in approval of the plan and Dolls couldn't do anything but allow it.  
"Besides, did you see her out there?", she continued. "Haught-shot's a natural. She took out that revenant like it was nothing!"  
Nicole felt nauseous at the mention of the previous violence, but didn't say anything. She gripped the gun, intending to make a difference. It somehow felt more right that cleaning tables at a bar.

The van's trail led towards Purgatory, but took a sharp turn after a while and ended in front of an abandoned storehouse just outside the town.  
"This is the place. Looks about as shady as we expected, right?", said Wynonna. Nicole couldn't understand how she could be in a mood for jokes right now. Dolls was looking solemn like always and Nicole herself was in a similar condition. Her hand that was holding the gun trembled a bit. When she looked Wynonna in the eyes, she understood. She might be laughing and joking around on the outside, but deep down, she felt guilty. She felt responsible for her little sister. Wynonna would never be the same if something were to happen to her.  
It might have already happened.

With that thought in mind, Wynonna and Dolls jumped out of the truck. They were greeted with revenants waiting for them outside.

"See? I told you she'd come.", said Bobo.  
"Don't mess with us!", said Wynonna. "You have 10 seconds to tell me what you did to my sister, or else you get a bullet in your head!"

"Your sister's fine. There is no trick here. It's simple, really...You give us Peacemaker, and we give her back!"

At this, Waverly was brought out by two revenants. Her hands and feet were tied. She looked at Wynonna straight in the eyes and the latter felt a lump in her throat. It was the first time she saw her little sister in years. She had grown so much, she almost didn't recognise her. It was as if she was waiting for Waverly to come out as a small child, just as she remembered her.

She put down Peacemaker without hesitation and run to hug her sister. It was an easy choice. She silently vowed to never abandon her again.  
Waverly looked at her with a scared look in her eyes.

They both knew that once Bobo had Peacemaker, there was no reason to keep them alive. He would kill them all.  
They saw him lean down to grab the magic gun and thought it was all over until...  
A bullet passed through Bobo's head and he fell lifelessly to the ground. The revenants started panicking and looking around them with their guns already loaded and ready to shoot.

  
"Wow. Haught-shot got a headshot. Who would have thought?", whispered Wynonna while untying Waverly.  
"Nicole is here?! No, she can't be here! It's dangerous!"  
"Well, it's your fault for bringing her here, and her fault for tagging along with me, baby girl."  
"Wynonna, you need to get the gun.", said Waverly ignoring the familiar nickname. She felt a tug at her heart when she heard it.

  
"You're more important than any stupid magic gun.", said Wynonna and kissed her quickly on the top of her head before running off to grab Peacemaker. It had been stomped on and kicked around by the mob of panicking revenants searching the area for the hidden gun shooter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
More violence, french fries and...unexpected jealousy?


	7. Pardon my french fries.

Wynonna was on the verge of panic. She couldn't see Peacemaker anywhere. And to make matters worse, the revenant mob had now turned their attention to her and her sister, and was closing in on them menacingly.

"Earp! Catch!"  
She looked up and saw Peacemaker flying towards her. She jumped up and grabbed it tightly --already putting her finger on the trigger-- and started shooting at the revenants while still in mid-air. Dolls who had found the magic gun and tossed it to her, joined her in the fight and the revenant crowd dispersed in a frenzy.  
"No way! I am NOT going back to hell!", they screamed.  
Those among them who tried to restore order were pushed and trampled by the fleeing mob.

"YEAH you better run!", yelled Wynonna and laughed proudly. "Hey, Dolls, how many did I get?"  
"About, four or five. I'm not sure, since they were all huddled together."  
"Wait, so, from the 77--"  
"There is a total of 69 revenants left for you to hunt, if my calculations are correct."  
"...69? AHAHA. Nice.", said Wynonna and snickered immaturely.  
"How old are you? Five?!", said Nicole who had gotten out of the truck and rushed to Waverly's side as soon as the fight was over.  
"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"  
"No, I'm fine...I can't believe they brought you into this...It's all my fault."  
"Waves, look at me.", said Nicole and waited until Waverly raised her head and met her eyes. "It's not your fault. It's my choice. I brought you here. I got you in trouble as much as you got me.", she said and laughed sadly. "I wish I could have protected you better."  
"No, I should be the one saying that. I should be a better cop."

  
"Ehem." Dolls coughed awkwardly and looked at the ignorant lovebirds, and then at Wynonna and then back at them.  
Wynonna didn't seem to notice and just scratched her back with her gun as she said "Can we go eat something, now that this is over? I'm starving."  
"Oh, hey, do you remember that diner you loved, the one we used to visit all the time when we were kids?", asked Waverly.  
"F*ck yeah! It had the best french fries! Let's go there!"

**》《**

Wynonna, Waverly, Nicole, Dolls...and Nedley and Champ --yes, Champ-- were all found at the same diner table and none of them knew how they managed to get into that situation. Waverly felt weird sitting across her ex-boyfriend and her long-lost sister. The same could be said about Champ sitting across his ex and next to her overprotective sister. Nicole felt weird sitting among complete strangers. Dolls has always been antisocial. Wynonna and Nedley were fighting over the french fries and didn't seem to give a f*ck about anything else.

And now, how this all came to be will finally be explained.

The Earp sisters, along with Dolls and Nicole, barely got to sit at their table before hearing the diner's door opened violently and slammed to the wall. A furious Champ barged in, followed by Sheriff Nedley, who was trying to stop him.

"I knew it!", screamed Champ. "I knew you would be coming here! You can't just dump me out of the blue and then come back, only to eat at this sh!tty diner, like nothing ever happened!"  
"HEY! How dare you disrespect this diner!? ...And my sister!", said Wynonna. "I was gonna ask her if she was still dating that loser from high school, but I guess not anymore!"  
"You soulless b!tches! I should have known better than to date an Earp!"

"Son, you're making a scene.", said Nedley. At this point, everyone in the diner was looking at them.

"Listen to the Sheriff, Champ.We're over. There's nothing more to it.", said Waverly. Nicole had wrapped an arm over her shoulders protectively as soon as Champ had walked in. She vaguely remembered Waverly mentioning about a boyfriend when they first met.  
_I bet that's him...And they're not together anymore?_, she thought.

"What are you looking at, you f*cking lesbo?", snapped Champ. "And take your hands off my girl! Got that?"

Waverly shot up at this.  
"That's enough! I told you, we're over! You can't just barge in here and insult me and my friends!...And don't yell at Nicole! She's...my friend, and she just came here! Besides, this is none of your business! So shut your d@mn mouth!"

The whole diner fell silent after that.  
Champ mumbled something about needing a drink. He got a punch in the face from Wynonna, instead.

"Uh, sorry, I zoned out. I heard silence, and though he insulted someone again. Plus, dude, you had it coming from the moment you mentioned the Earps!...Now, would you like a frech fry?

"I'd like the strongest drink you have here.", he said to the waitress and collapsed on the seat next to Wynonna.

"Sheriff, please sit with us.", said Dolls. "A round of drinks for everyone! It's on me.", he said and patted Champ's shoulder apologetically.

**》《**

"Shae, don't start with me again!...Did you feed the cat?...Good. That's all I wanted to say...Yes. I didn't call you about anything else...No. It's none of your business."

Waverly couldn't help but listen to Nicole's conversation on the phone. She tried to pretend it didn't bother her, but it did. She wanted to know more.

"What do you mean by that?...I said, no! You were the only one that I was comfortable with calling on such short notice! I couldn't just leave my cat alone!...Yes, it was an emergency. I had to leave the city."

Waverly pushed her chair a bit closer to the wall that divided Aunt Gus's kitchen from the room they had given to Nicole. She was to stay at Waverly's family house for a few days --_they had come to Purgatory just in time for the Wyatt Earp festival,_ said her aunt-- and catch the first bus to Redemption after that.

"Shae! Listen to me! We're over! When are you going to understand that?...We've been through this before. It's never gonna work...I know, I'm sorry...Honey...No, you're just making it harder for the both of us..."

By now, Waverly was practically glued to the wall, pressing her ear against it and trying to understand what was going on. She felt weird. She felt her stomach drop, as if she was on a rollercoaster ride.

"Honey...you know very well that this was a mistake. Please...just sign the divorce papers. It's over...Yes, I'm sure...It was never meant to be. It was foolish of us to believe it was...Neither of us thought this through...I'm sorry..."

"Waverly, why are you crying?"

Wynonna had walked in, and Waverly hadn't even notice her. When she heard her voice, she jumped up and pressed a hand on Wynonna's mouth.

"Shh! We need to go! We're not supposed to be here!", she whisper-screamed and dragged Wynonna out of the house.

"Can you explain what's going on?", she asked when they got outside.

"I...I don't know...It's just, Nicole was talking on the phone. And I listened to the conversation when I shouldn't have. And now, I'm sad...". At this point, Waverly was just as confused about her feelings, as Wynonna was about the whole situation.

"Waves, it's okay. Everyone eavesdrops once in a while. It's not a big deal. There's no need to be sad over it."  
"It's not that! Nicole is married!"  
"Huh? She has a husband? What's the big deal?"  
"No, she's married to a woman..."  
"So? ...You're not homophobic, are you?", asked Wynonna cautiously.  
"No! I just..."  
"Just what?"

"Wynonna, I think I like her.", said Waverly with tears in her eyes. "No, scratch that. I really like her."

Wynonna didn't say anything. She just wrapped her arms around her little sister and they hugged tightly for a while.  
"Oh, Waverly. I'm sorry. There are a lot of pretty girls out there. You'll find someone."

They sat on the stairs of the porch for a bit, in silence, until Waverly had stopped crying. She felt relieved she had told someone about her crush. She felt relieved her big sister still loved her. It was scary, being all alone with her emotions, so she was grateful Wynonna was so accepting.

"So...you're gay?, she asked, after a while.  
"No, I never said that."  
"Sorry, it's just that...you dated Champ. No self-respecting man-loving woman would date that mess of a man-child."  
"Do you need to remind me?", said Waverly, laughing. It felt good to laugh again.  
"Heh, isn't that what siblings are for?"  
"Oh, you. I missed you."

"I missed you too, baby girl.", said Wynonna. She pulled Waverly into a tight hug for the second time and ruffled her hair affectionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
Cowboy hats, fireworks and... old-school romance.


	8. Do not swear by the moon.

The little town of Purgatory was bursting with excitement and was unusually busy this time of the year, with the preparations for the Wyatt Earp festival. Surprisingly, the local hero had many fans, and hordes of Wild West fanatics arrived in Purgatory in the next few days, dressed up in outdated clothes and waving around cowboy hats and bad replicas of old-fashioned guns.

Needless to say, everyone was in a good mood. Or at least, almost everyone. Waverly, as an Earp who had extensively studied her family's history, never liked the festival. It reminded her of the curse.  
_If only people knew_, she thought.

A lot of them surprisingly did. It was hard to live in Purgatory for long and not notice the paranormal things happening around you. It was easy, though, for the residents of the little town to turn a blind eye and continue living their ordinary lives. They didn't have to shoulder the burden of revenants. The Earps did. And that's what infuriated Waverly the most. She wasn't able to wield the power of Peacemaker, yet she wasn't able to escape trouble either. She always found herself in that uncomfortable 'in between' space that drove her nuts.

Wynonna, on the other hand, was not like that. Waverly loved her sister, but sometimes she was too dense to understand.

_Right now, she's probably already drunk and trying to challenge all those cowboy wannabes into duels or something_, thought Waverly and laughed to herself.

She was sitting outside, on her bedroom's balcony, with no intention of going to the festival, or even leaving her room, really. Nicole was also in a bad mood after her phone call with her 'wife'...or is it 'ex-wife'? Waverly didn't know what to think. Frankly, she tried not to think about it and almost avoided Nicole completely these last few days.

"Hey! Waves!"

_Oh no. That voice._  
"Nicole?...What...are you doing here?"

Waverly looked down from her balcony and saw Nicole's tall figure standing on the dimly lit street under her window. The blue streetlight over her head made her look even more ethereal and casted an elongated shadow of her on the wall behind her.

"Wynonna sent me to pick you up.", said Nicole with a smile. Waverly could see her dimples even from that distance. It made her smile unconsciously.  
"She told me you were in a bad mood. Don't you want to watch the fireworks?"  
"No, not really."  
"Oh...then, wanna come down here and talk about it?", asked Nicole mischievously.  
"You're trying to trick me!", said Waverly and laughed.  
Nicole sighed dramatically. "A thousand times the worse, to want thy light.", she recited.  
"Romeo and Juliet? Seriously?" Waverly couldn't believe how hopelessly romantic Nicole could get sometimes.  
"I mean...I _am_ standing under your balcony.", she said awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck.

The mere implication, that Nicole's feelings for Waverly were as strong as Romeo's for Juliet, made Waverly blush. The analogy was too much for her poor heart.

"Can you please come down? For me?", concluded Nicole.  
Waverly couldn't resist her pleading anymore. She groaned "Okay, you win!" and ran down the stairs to meet her at her door.  
At that exact moment, the long-anticipated fireworks exploded in the air and illuminated the night sky. The two women looked at the pretty lights and colours in awe.

_Wynonna must be at the fair right now, with her aunt and the rest of the gang_, thought Nicole.  
"Too bad we missed it, huh?", she said. Her eyes were still glued to the continuous stream of fireworks.  
"I actually...like that we're together like this.Thank you for watching the fireworks with me.", said Waverly and silently slipped her hand in Nicole's. The latter turned to face her.

  
"Waverly..."  
She was shushed by a pair of lips pressing against her own as Waverly tiptoed to reach her face. They kissed quietly until the fireworks show was over.  
Waverly was the first one to step back, though she was still holding Nicole's hand.

"Nicole, I...like you. A lot."  
"I'm not a detective, but...I kind of figured it out from the kiss.", she replied with a sly smile. "...And I like you too.", she added, seeing how Waverly was still waiting for her answer.  
"You're not fair!", said the latter and gave her a playful push.  
"Yeah, I deserved that.", said Nicole matter-of-factly.  
They stood in silence in front of the door. The fireworks were over and the dark empty street was unexpectedly quiet.

"Do you want to come in? I'm getting cold.", said Waverly. "Plus, they will shoot the second round of fireworks in about an hour."  
"Yes, I'd love to."

Waverly led her upstairs, to her bedroom and the little balcony where she had been sitting before Nicole came. They both sat next to each other at the edge of the bed, looking out of the window expectantly, waiting to run out, on the balcony, at the first site of fireworks.

**》《**

Nicole rubbed her eyes tiredly and yawned. She lied back on the bed lazily and asked "How much longer?"  
"Any moment now.", replied Waverly. She turned to look at Nicole and that's when she realized that she had invited her crush, to her room, right after kissing her. She momentarily wondered where she had found the courage.

Suddenly, fireworks appeared in the sky for the second time and interrupted Waverly's trail of thoughts.  
"Hey, come sit here. The view is better.", said Nicole and patted with her hand the spot next to her on the bed. They lied next to each other and watched the fireworks explode in the sky.  
"It's beautiful.", murmured Waverly. Nicole held her hand as she whispered "I think...you're more beautiful."  
Waverly turned and sat on her side to look at her and said "You're so cheesy.". She rolled her eyes pretending to be annoyed, but on the inside she felt like she's never been more nervous in her life.

Nicole gave her a quick peck on the lips. Waverly decided to take the plunge and wrapped her arms around Nicole's neck, asking for a proper kiss.  
They locked lips and moved their bodies closer, until they were pressed upon each other. Every now and then, Nicole would pause their fervent kisses and Waverly could feel her lips brushing tenderly on her own, and her hot breath on her cheek, and Nicole's hands rubbing small circles on her back, hugging her and caressing her with affection.  
Their kisses went from rough to soft, to rough again and this continued until they started getting tired and their kisses turned sloppy and their bodies felt heavy and clumsy.  
"I'd love this to continue, but I'm getting sleepy.", said Nicole. She turned her back to Waverly and closed her eyes.  
"Excuse me? Are you just gonna sleep here?", said Waverly while trying to contain her laugh.  
"Yeah, why not? I mean...you invited me here in the first place.", said Nicole slyly.  
Waverly wrapped her arms around Nicole's waist and spooned her from behind, in spite of their height difference. She rested her head on her shoulder and suggestively said "But, I didn't invite you here to sleep...".  
"Yeah, you invited me to watch the fireworks."  
"Ugh, you ruined my pick-up line.", groaned Waverly. She couldn't contain her smile.  
"Just, come here.", said Nicole. She turned around to wrap her arms around Waverly's small figure and they fell asleep hugging each other tightly.

**》《**

Nicole was awakened by a pillow hitting her in the face, and by Wynonna's loud voice ringing in her ears.

"WHAT THE FUUUUU(K, NICOLE!!? ARE YOU SERIOUS?! WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FU(K?"

"Wynonna! What the hell's wrong with y--"

"HOW DARE YOU!? You can't just sleep with my sister!!! You have a WIFE, you liar!", yelled Wynonna while still hitting her with the pillow. "OH YEAH. I KNOW ABOUT YOUR SECRET WIFE. You scumbag!! You...you sneaky SNAKE! I'LL SHOW YOU!"

"Wynonna! Stop!", yelled Waverly. Nicole put up a pillow as a shield when Wynonna freezed in mid-air, with her pillow still hovering over Nicole's head menacingly.

"Oh, this is so embarrassing...I didn't even sleep with her, you moron!", said Waverly.

"Yeah, we didn't! I can explain everything!", said Nicole.

"I'm listening.", said Wynonna. She grabbed a chair and sat down, all while giving Nicole a death glare and playing with Peacemaker in her hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)
> 
> (!) Next time on REVERSE:  
Panic at the festival, a blast from the past and...a new BBD agent!?


	9. -sidestory-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be just a Jeremy × Robin side story but it contributes to the plot a bit. I recommend reading it, as it will help to understand the story better. In the next chapter, the main story will be continued.
> 
> (Please feel free to point out any writing mistakes. In general, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciated.)

Jeremy Chetri could be considered a genius when it came to science and technology. He wished though he could say the same about dating. He had no luck there.

Even Waverly, a workaholic, and an utterly clueless and sexually confused bisexual-in-denial had better luck than him. It had only been her first night out in the city when she scored a gorgeous waitress's phone number, without even realizing it.

Speaking of which, the last time he'd talked to Waverly, it was through a very short and hurried phone call from the latter. She had only mentioned she was leaving for her hometown. She said something urgent came up, and Nicole was driving her there. Nothing more. She'd been awfully cryptic about it and just begged Jeremy to make something up to tell to their boss.

All this seemed very odd, especially considering Waverly's talkative nature and the fact that Jeremy and her had become fast friends from the moment she arrived at the station, and they've come to depend upon each other.

_She's fine. She's probably banging the hot redhead right now,_ he thought saltily and casted aside all the ominous feelings he'd been having about the situation.

He was carelessly walking down the street, deep in thought, when he bumped into someone carrying a big wooden flower basket. It resulted in it falling to the ground and scattering the flowers all over the pavement, and, of course, Jeremy was quick to apologise and crouch down to start gathering them, without hesitation.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you! Let me help!"  
"No, it's okay. Thanks for helping."  
The male voice was surprisingly soft and kind, and when Jeremy looked up to see its owner, he came face-to-face with a handsome young man, about his age, with piercing green eyes and sandy brown hair and the brightest, most gorgeous smile.

_Wow...I guess today's my lucky day_, thought Jeremy.  
They both reached for the same flower, accidentally, and he almost felt like he was in a romantic movie.

"I'm Robin. What's your name?", said the man and shook Jeremy's hand to relieve the tension.  
"Jeremy.", replied our rom com protagonist, who could barely get a word out at this point.  
"Well, thanks again for the help, Jeremy. I work at the flower shop across the street.", said Robin and pointed towards the building. "Pass by sometime. I'll give you some nice flowers. Do you like plants?"  
"Uh, yes. Thanks. That'd be cool. I'll be sure to pass by."  
"Okay. Bye."  
"Bye."  
"Yeah. Hope to see you at the shop!"  
"Me too. See you."  
"Alright."  
"Cool."  
"Great. Bye."  
Jeremy turned around and left before he could utter another awkward goodbye and embarrass himself.

He took a flower out of his pocket. He had picked it up from the sidewalk; it was crumpled but pretty. He liked it, even though he felt a little bad for taking it. He smiled, thinking about the handsome florist, and continued walking.

**》《**

When he returned to the station from his break, there was a lot of commotion, which was already unusual to begin with, and on top of that, the other officers seemed to be on edge, working diligently, filing papers and doing phone calls like they're supposed to.

"Oh, Jeremy! Come here, quick!", said the chief when he saw him. "Toss these out."  
"What is this?"  
"Missing posters. We just found the girl."  
Jeremy looked at the poster of a little girl in disbelief and then looked at a woman sitting in the waiting area, with a blanket around her shoulders.

"Is this...the girl?"  
"Yep. She's been missing for more than a decade..."  
"How did you find her?"  
"She just walked in here! We tried to interrogate her but she said she doesn't remember anything."  
"...Are you sure it's the girl from the picture?"  
"The tests say so."  
"Wait...what's her name? It says on the poster--"

And that's when he paused and his eyes froze wide open. Jeremy saw the words 'WILLA EARP', written in big black letter under the photo of the girl.

_Sh!t. I need to call Waverly_, he thought.

"Jeremy, we got a job for you!", yelled one of his colleagues. "This woman is originally from Purgatory, a small town in the middle of nowhere. She'd been declared dead after six months of searching. The authorities assumed the little girl couldn't have survived in the wilderness for so long. The missing posters are copies of the original we found in our archive...We came in touch with Purgatory's Sheriff and got some interesting files sent over as well."

The officer handed Jeremy a list of names and addresses.  
"What's this?"  
"We're tracking down all individuals from the oldest families in Purgatory, who were residents of the town at the time of the girl's disappearance."  
"Don't we need a detective for that?"  
"Yes. An agent has been sent to us from Black Badge Division. They're supposed to be investigating everything abnormal happening in and around Purgatory. Never heard of them, though... 'Top secret organisation', they said..."

The officer rolled his eyes and sighed. At that moment, a tall blond woman walked in and introduced herself.  
"Agent Eliza Shapiro. As you already now, I've been sent from BBD to investigate Willa Earp's case. Officer Jeremy Chetri, right? They said you're my work partner."  
"Me?...No one has informed me about this.", replied Jeremy.  
"You're the smartest officer we've got.", said his colleague reassuringly and patted him on the shoulder. "Plus, we want you to keep an eye on her.", he whispered in his ear and walked away.

"Alright, let's get to work! Show me the list.", said Eliza.  
Jeremy skimmed through the list without any particular interest; that is until he saw a familiar name.  
"Robin Jett?...Florist, it says here-- WAIT a minute! I know this person!"  
"Great! Let's start from there. You go find him and ask him a few questions. I'll track down some of the more shady ones on the list..."

She gave him a paper with instructions, and a BBD gun and badge.  
"Wait, what's all this?"  
"My superiors told me you'll need them. Good luck. Report back to the station when you're done."  
Her tone was strict and commanding, and when she finished her explanation, she put on a pair of sunglasses and walked out.

_Jeez. What have I gotten myself into...At least, I get to see him again..._, thought Jeremy.

He went to the flower shop feeling more nervous than he's ever felt before.  
"Hey! Jeremy!"  
Robin immediately recognized him and smiled at him attractively.

"Hi, Robin. So...ehm, I didn't exactly come for flowers...You see, I'm...a police officer, and have been tasked with the investigation of a reopened case..."  
At the sight of the BBD badge, Robin got extremely nervous.

"What's happening? I'm not being arrested, am I?"  
"No, no! Nothing like that! I just want to ask a few questions. Can we go somewhere more private?"

Jeremy looked around the shop. There were a few customers, but no one seemed shady.  
"Okay. Follow me.", said Robin and took him out through the back door. They sat on the steps near the door, in a relatively empty space, with a few boxes and trash cans lying around. Jeremy assumed that this was where the employees took their breaks.

"You're from Purgatory, correct?", he asked, after taking out his papers.  
"Yes. I lived there as a kid and moved to this city after high school."  
"Are you familiar with the Earps?"

At the mention of the name, Robin grew pale.

"Y-yes. Everyone from my town knows them...They say they're cursed. On one hand, they're direct descendants of Wyatt Earp, the town's hero...on the other, they bring danger with them...and death. There's only two of them left now...The Earp sisters. Willa Earp disappeared a long time ago, and Wynonna left after shooting Ward Earp, their father, dead. Some say it was an accident. Some say they're all crazy...I don't think so. I went to high school with Waverly Earp, the youngest. She was pretty much the school's sweetheart, and captain of the cheerleading squad. She was always nice to me and protected me when I was bullied...for being...ehm, gay...Nevermind that! It doesn't matter!"

"It does! I mean...it does _to me_, as a friend. And as an officer, thank you...for...for the information! Yes. Thank you!...Also...I'm...I am also gay! So it matters!...I'm really sorry you...got bullied in school. Yeah."

"Thank you.", said Robin sweetly, and Jeremy blinked and tried not to stare too much. He could feel himself sweating. He mentally face-palmed himself and tried to be more professional.  
"Okay! So, Robin, the reason I'm here is because Willa Earp...well, um, her case has recently been reopened and I need some more information from you."

"Okay. Whatever you need."


End file.
